metformin - loss of appetite insulin resistance

mats613
mats613 Posts: 47 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello, I've been on Metformin for 4 mos now, worked up slowly to 3 pills a day. i take in to help with my insulin resistance.

I have no appetite anymore. even if im hungry, i just don't feel like eating. i've lost 15lbs which is great, and i guess its good not to crave stuff anymore . i work hard to have at least 1200 calories a day so my metabolism doesnt crash,so i eat nuts or rice cakes all day.

really i should celebrate this as a blessing.
i'm just worried how this will progress that's all. has anyone else had experience with this side effect?

here's how it happens in my mind:
-it's 1oclock in the afternoon. my stomach hurts from hunger and i feel shakey. i should eat
-what should i eat?
- how about a danish?
- *stomach clenches at thought*
-ok something healthy. salad with tuna
-*ick* no
-rice cakes?
-meh
-mac n' cheese?
-*blergh*
- ok forget it.

Replies

  • nomorebamboozles
    nomorebamboozles Posts: 73 Member
    Perhaps you could make smoothies or "green smoothies" so you could satisfy your thirst (which I'm assuming doesn't go away) while still getting good nutrients, fiber, and calories without all the sugar of fruit juices.
  • Quasita
    Quasita Posts: 1,530 Member
    Are you sure that you're only at 1200 calories? I don't see you logging. Nuts and rice cakes pack a pretty significant calorie punch as well as fill the belly, so you may be struggling because you don't need anything.

    I think you need to just plan that you're going to eat something and just eat it. Kick the danish as the first go to at lunch though. My experience with metformin has demonstrated that high sugar foods make me feel ill if I try to have more than a bite, which I assume has a lot to do with the insulin changes in the body.

    The choices you offered yourself aren't particularly balanced or healthy. I would make more efforts to have leafy greens and fruits available for when you are hungry, and just make yourself eat at a scheduled time if you're hungry.
  • tara_seay
    tara_seay Posts: 171 Member
    I take metformin (2 500mg a day) and I don't have that side effect. The only side effect I've had is my sugar being regulated - before metformin, my sugar (fasting) was 265, now (fasting) it's about 130. I've only been on metformin for 1 1/2 months, and was put on it for my type 2 diabetes.
  • littlegirlwithprettybrowneyes
    littlegirlwithprettybrowneyes Posts: 17
    How much Metformin do you take?
  • tubaman58
    tubaman58 Posts: 151
    I've been on metfornin for years..... very stable, once your body adjusts it.....

    Eat your veggies and fruit......
    Stay away from the junk as much as you can...
    it will even out
  • WinwillLose
    WinwillLose Posts: 101
    I would ditch the rice cakes for veggies and fruit.
  • FrenchMob
    FrenchMob Posts: 1,167 Member
    Talk to your Dr. about maybe something different. I take Janumet which is a combo of sitagliptin and metformin (50mg/1000mg respectively). I don't have those side effects - never have.
  • mats613
    mats613 Posts: 47 Member
    i take 1500mg a day of metformin (3 pills slow release)
    i have been eating a lot of fruit lately especially watermelon bc i find it doesnt get me nauseous. so you think its the sugar that kills my apetite? salad gets me quesy too.

    regarding my logging, i don't usually log my foods online b/c i don't have internet at home, only at work. i do a paper journal and usually is around 1200 calories a day, i try.
  • Quasita
    Quasita Posts: 1,530 Member
    i take 1500mg a day of metformin (3 pills slow release)
    i have been eating a lot of fruit lately especially watermelon bc i find it doesnt get me nauseous. so you think its the sugar that kills my apetite? salad gets me quesy too.

    regarding my logging, i don't usually log my foods online b/c i don't have internet at home, only at work. i do a paper journal and usually is around 1200 calories a day, i try.

    The whole point of the medication is to reduce your ability to absorb sugar. Your body can't use it so it doesn't want it.
    Watermelon may be yummy but you need to switch to more nutrient dense options to get more bang for your buck.
    Maybe it would be a good idea to see a nutritionist to help with the insulin resistance and establishing healthy eating patterns for the condition?
  • mats613
    mats613 Posts: 47 Member

    The whole point of the medication is to reduce your ability to absorb sugar. Your body can't use it so it doesn't want it.

    thank you that makes a lot of sense. i didn't think of it like that. it must be the sugar from my coffee every morning that gets me nauseous for the day. ill give that a try!
  • Quasita
    Quasita Posts: 1,530 Member

    The whole point of the medication is to reduce your ability to absorb sugar. Your body can't use it so it doesn't want it.

    thank you that makes a lot of sense. i didn't think of it like that. it must be the sugar from my coffee every morning that gets me nauseous for the day. ill give that a try!

    I know when I started taking mine, I had to cut my sugar A LOT. I now take at most a third of the sugar in my coffee of what I used to. I can't eat much when it comes to chocolate or other sweets. I literally gagged trying to eat a s'more.
  • adiggs2777
    adiggs2777 Posts: 111 Member
    I've not had issues not being hungry, but if I eat too many carbs I might as well settle in for a night on the toilet, LOL. TMI, but that's the only real side effect I've had on Metformin. It used to really bother my stomach at first but really now there are no side effects. You should bring up your concerns to your doctor/practitioner though.
  • reblblac
    reblblac Posts: 3
    My blood tests for hormones, cholesterol (and literally everything else) came back perfect. My BP is normal. My testosterone is slightly elevated (56) but I'm told nothing to worry over. My endocrinologist says I am insulin resistant and started me on Metformin 500 mg 3 days ago. I'm testing my blood sugar, which is not high (around 75 average so far). I have a hard time dropping lbs at a normal rate. I go about 5 lbs a month as opposed to the 10 average I should be getting.

    I've lost 64 lbs and I train 5-6 days a week (hard weight training not walking on a treadmill). I do cardio every session for at least 20 minutes but I weight train so hard I have to rest periodically to get my heart rate down. So I'm not half-assing it here. I use a personal trainer for weights only 3x a week. My diet is c-l-e-a-n. I rarely cheat, and it's not a whole "cheat day" if I do. It makes me ill. So yesterday, my hands were shaky toward the end of my weight training. I guzzled a little OJ and seemed to feel better. I had read online how exercise can make your blood sugar drop. Just great. I'll stop the pill before I stop working out.

    Question #1: During my Metformin research online, I've not found anything about people like me with normal numbers who can't lose weight easily. Does anyone else use this drug who are like me? Is this drug going to help me lose weight normally? I'm still going to try it as long as I don't have any bad side effects.

    Question #2: Are there any dietary tricks to optimize weight loss results on Metformin? Should I cut out caffeine? Low carbs? Glutens? I'm shooting in the wind here with things I know can be tricky for diets. I guess this would be my main question.

    Thanks in advance for any input! I know I haven't logged on here in a while. I need to go update everything on my page.
  • djshari
    djshari Posts: 513 Member
    I felt like metformin helped kill my appetite as well. My stomach can be growling and no food sounds good. I figure I might as well eat something healthy especially if it's not my favorite so that when I DO have a craving for something I am on track and can go for it.

    Planning meals helps - I hate when I feel like I'm starving at lunch time but I hate all the food places by my work. When I bring my lunch I just eat it and I don't have to think about it. Obviously I want to pick foods I like but it doesn't have to be my favorite. You can also trying eating mroe calorie dense foods in smaller quantities to get to your goal without eating a lot in volume.
  • Kabiti
    Kabiti Posts: 191 Member
    Metformin XR 500mg/day

    It didn't do anything for my appetite - at least not that I can tell.

    Any idea when they'll take you off it? I'm really, really hoping that I can come off this med in a month (at my next Dr. appt). My A1C fasting was 7.5 and dropped to 6.9 after 2 weeks of dieting. Now it's been 3 months!!
    I don't measure sugar - my GP said there's no need at this point.

    I eat carbs in the morning for breakfast and then live on salad w/ protein for my other meals. This is my life plan at this point - and I don't see anything wrong with it. The lettuce keeps my hunger under control (I doubt the metformin does - I was on it for about 9 months before the psychological break that completely changed my health & life).
  • VeggieKidMandy
    VeggieKidMandy Posts: 575 Member
    I am taking metformin for the same thing - PCOS with Insulin Resistance - I go through the same cycle , only what Ive done to prevent the loss of appetite is keep whey protein powder around and frozen fruit and fresh greens. Ill munch on raw turnip greens, kale and then for meals and then making fruit smoothies with the whey powder. I use water, but im sure you could use real milk or almond milk.
  • VeggieKidMandy
    VeggieKidMandy Posts: 575 Member
    also, when i tried to eat calorie dense foods it made me instantly sick, and pretty much anything that smells deep fried makes my stomach feel horrible.
  • sirena192005
    sirena192005 Posts: 13 Member
    I've been on Metformin off and on for almost 15 years because of PCOS. My blood sugar has always been normal with the exception of when I was pregnant. I had very mild gestational diabetes that I controlled with metformin and diet. No insulin needed. My OBGYN checks my A1C each year at my annual and it's normally between 4-4.5, which is well within normal range, even when I'm not on metformin. I recently went back on it due to a resurgence of cysts. They'd gone away after having my daughter, but came back, so back on the meds I go.

    I have never experienced any of the appetite stuff. It makes my blood sugar drop too low if I don't eat regularly, but I don't have the problems with certain foods or sugar that others are reporting. Maybe that's because I'm not on it for a bloodsugar issue though.
  • lovetotes
    lovetotes Posts: 2
    My dose is up to 2000 a day and now I can hardly eat! And when my girls cook bacon or eggs in the morning im double over heaving is this from the meds or should I be worried something serious?
  • shabaity
    shabaity Posts: 792 Member
    My dose is up to 2000 a day and now I can hardly eat! And when my girls cook bacon or eggs in the morning im double over heaving is this from the meds or should I be worried something serious?
    How long have you been on the meds? Cause this side effect should go away after a few weeks, if it hasn't I'd go see a doctor.
  • lovetotes
    lovetotes Posts: 2
    I'm cool with handling it knowing it's a side effect! I'm making myself eat small amounts often and I go upstairs when stuff is fried!

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